At least 18 people have died and 60 sustained injuries in a traffic accident in central Tanzania, officials said.
The accident occurred in the Tabora region’s Nzega Township on Saturday, when a bus and a fuel tanker collided head-on.
“We have received 18 bodies,” said Nzega District Commissioner, Naitwapwaki Tukai. “We are now working to help the injured get a much needed medical attention.”
The Tanzanian presidency confirmed in a statement that a child was among the dead in the accident.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed “her condolences to the victims, as well as all their loved ones” and showed her support “to the families in this difficult moment of mourning.”
Witnesses indicated that the truck driver recklessly overtook the passenger vehicle.
According to the World Health Organization, road traffic accident fatalities in Tanzania were 18,054 or 6.12 percent of total death in 2020.
The age adjusted death rate is 49.33 per 100,000 of population ranks Tanzania, ranking 10 in the world.
By Usmana Kousar
